Disclosed is a flexible display that is slim for flexibility, is controlled in stiffness, and has improved reliability owing to a structure of a non-folding portion thereof.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A flexible display comprising: a display panel; a plate comprising a first surface facing a surface of the display panel and a second surface facing away from the surface of the display panel, the plate being divided into at least one folding portion and a non-folding portion adjacent to the folding portion, the folding portion having a stiffness less than that of the non-folding portion; a fastener coupled to the non-folding portion of the plate through at least one hole in the plate, the at least one hole being adjacent to an edge of the non-folding portion of the second surface of the plate, the fastener having a body protruding from the second surface of the plate; and a supporter between the fastener and the second surface of the plate.
2. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a metal bolt positioned on the second surface of the plate.
3. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the fastener is one of a plurality of fasteners arranged on the second surface of the plate along the edge of the non-folding portion adjacent to opposite sides of the folding portion.
4. The flexible display according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fasteners are a plurality of metal bolts.
5. The flexible display according to claim 3 , wherein at least two of the plurality of fasteners are located adjacent to respective sides of the non-folding portion of the lower plate.
6. The flexible display according to claim 3 , wherein the supporter extends through an area where the plurality of fasteners is positioned.
7. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the fastener is provided at a corner of the non-folding portion in the second surface of the plate.
8. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the fastener protrudes from the second surface of the plate by a first height; and a flange coupled to the body of the fastener and on the second surface of the plate, the flange having a first thickness smaller than the first height.
9. The flexible display according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one hole is filled with a part of a component of the flange.
10. The flexible display according to claim 8 , wherein the flange includes a protrusion on a surface of the flange and the protrusion is fitted into the at least one hole.
11. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one hole adjacent to the edge of the non-folding portion of the second surface of the lower plate is filled with after the fastener is welded to the lower plate.
12. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the supporter has a stiffness greater than that of the non-folding portion of the plate.
13. The flexible display according to claim 12 , wherein the supporter comprises one or more discontinuous portions.
14. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the supporter is aligned with the fastener, and has a width equal to or greater than a diameter of the fastener.
15. The flexible display according to claim 1 , further comprising a case structure configured to accommodate therein the display panel, the plate, the fastener, and the supporter.
16. The flexible display according to claim 1 , wherein the supporter comprises a flat portion in contact with the second surface of the plate, and a protruding portion bent from a side of the flat portion, and wherein the non-folding portion of the plate comprises a groove that receives the protruding portion.
17. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the supporter is another plate to overlap with a region that extends along at least three edges of the plate.
18. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the supporter includes a U-shaped portion and a straight portion.
19. The flexible display according to claim 1 , further comprising a case structure configured to accommodate therein the display panel, the plate, and the fastener.
20. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein the folding portion includes a plurality of openings extending from a first end of the folding portion to a second end of the folding portion.
21. The flexible display of claim 1 , wherein a region of the non-folding portion coupled with the fastener has a stiffness more than that of another region of the non-folding portion.
22. A flexible display comprising: a display panel; a plate comprising a first surface facing a surface of the display panel and a second surface facing away from the surface of the display panel, the plate being divided into at least one folding portion and a non-folding portion adjacent to the folding portion, the folding portion having a stiffness less than that of the non-folding portion; a fastener coupled to the non-folding portion of the plate through at least one hole in the plate, the at least one hole being adjacent to an edge of the non-folding portion of the second surface of the plate; and a supporter positioned between the plate and the fastener.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 30, 2018
January 21, 2020
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